October 8, 2021 Dear SMU community, After carefully reviewing the current COVID-19 environment on campus, SMU is moving to a mask-optional status effective Monday, October 11, but will continue to require masks in the classroom at the faculty’s discretion. Many of our campus members will welcome this move, while others may be apprehensive. It was […]
September 30, 2021 Dear SMU community, I would like to share another snapshot of our COVID-19 trends on campus as we head into October and toward fall break. We continue to see a steady decline in cases at SMU, Dallas County and other counties in the metro area. As members of the Emergency Operations Center […]
September 23, 2021 Dear SMU community, As the leader of the SMU Emergency Operations Center (EOC) – the cross-sectional group of campus representatives which manages our COVID-19 response – I wanted to share a bit of good news now that we are a month into the fall semester. We are seeing several promising trends on […]
COVID-19 testing will be available to students, employees, and their families this holiday weekend at the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center on Sunday, September 5, and Monday, September 6, from noon to 2:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary; an SMU ID is required (employees can use their own SMU ID for spouses and dependents). Tests […]
With the return to in-person classes on campus this fall, the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is providing COVID-19 testing as needed for students and will be unable to accommodate testing for SMU employees beginning on Tuesday, September 7. As offered last year, SMU is still providing access to convenient COVID-19 testing for employees and […]
Dear SMU community, Please take a moment to read and sign the “Pledge to Protect” to help keep us all Mustang Strong. You may recall that last year, our campus community embraced the “Pledge to Protect” that was developed by a cross sectional group of students, faculty and staff called SMU Community Action Network (SMU […]
Dear Graduate Students, Welcome back to our continuing students, and to our new graduate students: welcome to SMU! These are difficult times, and I know the recent surge in COVID-19 cases has created challenges for all of you. You come from many different backgrounds, are at many different stages of life, and have many different […]
August 24, 2021 Dear SMU community, It is heartening to learn that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA endorsement should bolster confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, which will hopefully lead to an increase in vaccinations. Getting the vaccine remains the best […]
August 16, 2021 Dear Mustangs, Greetings from the Hilltop! I hope you’re doing well and enjoying what remains of the summer. The first day of classes for the fall semester is just a week away, which is why I am reaching out to you today. While we are planning for the fall to look and […]
Dear students and families, We are excited to welcome you to the Hilltop and want to share what to expect before you arrive. We are returning to a traditional semester, with some exceptions, in order to maintain a healthy and safe campus. Our faculty and staff are eagerly awaiting you and looking forward to engaging […]
Dear faculty and staff, As the COVID-19 situation in North Texas remains highly dynamic, our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will meet twice a week and remains vigilant regarding the local impact. As a reminder, some members of the EOC also meet regularly with Dallas County health officials and Dr. Robert Haley, our consulting epidemiologist, to […]
SMU Community, As we prepare for the fall semester, SMU has transitioned to a new way of voluntarily reporting your COVID-19 vaccination status. The vaccine reporting tool previously located on the Mustang Strong website has now moved to the SMU Health Portal and is maintained by the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center. If you were […]
Wednesday, July 21, 2021 SMU looks forward to welcoming students, faculty and staff for the upcoming fall academic semester next month. Preparations continue for a safe return to regular operations, in-person instruction and full campus activities. However, it is important to balance the desire to embrace a traditional college setting with the need to maintain […]
As SMU moves into Summer Session II (July term), it’s important to maintain a healthy campus by diligently following SMU’s current COVID-19 protocols. Here are some reminders. The Mustang Strong Dashboard recording COVID-19 cases at SMU is now updated weekly on Thursdays. SMU strongly encourages everyone to receive the COVID-19 vaccination to prevent the spread […]
The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center continues to offer COVID-19 vaccinations and COVID-19 testing for members of the SMU community during the summer months. The Health Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Vaccinations COVID-19 vaccinations are available to all current and incoming students, SMU employees and their spouses/dependents. An […]
May 27, 2021 Dear SMU Community Member, As SMU moves toward a fully in-person semester this fall, updates and modifications will be communicated during the summer months. Most of the changes were already shared in a letter from President Turner and are detailed in the “operations at a glance” grid that accompanied it. Here are […]
Dear SMU community, SMU is no longer requiring masks to be worn on campus with a few exceptions. The mask requirement is lifted immediately except in classrooms and the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center. Masks will continue to be required in all classrooms for the duration of the current term which concludes on May 28. […]
The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is now offering the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine for the campus community. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the J&J vaccine only requires one dose and is an especially convenient for individuals who need to be fully vaccinated before traveling. The J&J vaccine is approved for individuals 18 years […]
The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is now offering the Pfizer vaccine for dependents of SMU employees who are 12 years of age and older. Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently approved expanded usage of the Pfizer vaccine in children as young as 12. […]
Dear SMU Community, As the semester comes to a close, excitement is building for what lies ahead. We have nearly completed a full school year in the midst of a global pandemic. And we made the most of it – successfully continuing the high-quality education and engaging campus life for which SMU is known. Now […]
April 27, 2021 Dear Mustang, Greetings from the Office of the Dean of Students! I hope your spring semester is wrapping up successfully and you are looking forward to some well-deserved rest and rejuvenation. As you know, SMU is reviewing operations and making plans. Having a good understanding of how many members of our campus […]
Dear SMU Employees- Our partners at Urgent Care for Kids have notified us that they are providing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at two of their DFW clinic locations: Plano and Alliance (Ft. Worth). The Moderna vaccine is approved for individuals who are 18 years of age or older. SMU employees and their dependents who wish […]
Dear SMU Community, A limited number of first doses of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine are still available this week at the SMU vaccination site for students, faculty and staff, as well as benefits-eligible spouses and dependents. Retired SMU employees are also now eligible to receive the first dose of the vaccine on campus. First Dose […]
April 12, 2021 Dear SMU Community, Appointments are still open for current SMU students, faculty, adjunct instructors and staff to receive their COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine at the on-campus vaccination site. Scheduling is easy through the registration portal, and the vaccination process is fast, with most appointments sailing through in about 20 minutes. These open slots, […]
SMU Distributes $2.3 million in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF II) as authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) Direct payments will support low-income undergraduate and graduate students SMU is directing an additional $2.3 million in funds from the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) […]
SMU is receiving another round of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine for distribution to our University community through the vaccination site near the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center. Once again, all SMU faculty, staff and students are eligible. Vaccination appointments are by appointment only on a first-come, first-serve basis. Online registration is now open to schedule […]
It’s time to plan for the upcoming May, summer and fall terms at SMU. Enrollment begins next week as we work to safely transition over the summer to a more normal semester this fall with in-person classes and more campus events and activities. Here’s what you need to know to get started: Fall 2021 Enrollment […]
March 26, 2021 Dear SMU Community, It’s here! SMU is pleased to announce the campus is receiving an allotment of the COVID-19 vaccine for distribution to our University community. All SMU faculty, staff and students are eligible. Online registration will open at noon today, March 26, to schedule vaccination appointments beginning Monday, March 29. Vaccinations […]
March 8, 2021 Dear SMU Community, One year ago this week, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic. Two days later, on March 13, 2020, the SMU community left the Hilltop for an extended spring break, expecting to return for normal spring activities by the end of the month. […]
March 3, 2021 Dear SMU Community, Throughout the pandemic, SMU has based our safety protocols and campus operations on guidance from local, state and federal health officials. These measures, backed by our Pledge to Protect, have enabled the University to safely offer in-person classes and host important events such as commencement ceremonies and other celebrations […]
Dear SMU Community, Like most universities in Texas, we’re patiently waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine allotment from the state. With this past weekend’s news of the Food and Drug Administration granting Emergency Use Authorization of Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine candidate, we’re optimistic some of the supply issues are being alleviated. Each week, SMU requests an […]
Stay protected as we enter the height of influenza season by getting your free flu shot at the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center. This option is available for all SMU students, faculty and staff. Remember: The seasonal flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, making it difficult to differentiate between the two without a lab test. You can […]
Dear SMU Community, Welcome back to the Hilltop for the spring 2021 semester. Many of you have been asking when the COVID-19 vaccine will arrive on campus and how it will be distributed to our SMU community. It’s not here yet. SMU has requested allocations under the state’s first and second distribution phases but has […]
Dear SMU community, It is with high hopes that we enter 2021 expecting to move toward a primarily in-person fall semester at SMU. With the understanding that vaccinations for COVID-19 will be offered widely this spring, including on our own campus, we are planning to return to regular on-campus courses and activities by fall. It […]
January 8, 2021 Dear SMU Community, SMU has received approval from the state to be a COVID-19 vaccination provider for the campus community. Initial supplies allocated to our campus have not arrived yet but are expected in the near future. The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center will administer the vaccine in phases according to the […]
Dear SMU Community, SMU is pleased to announce that the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center will be a provider of the COVID-19 vaccination for the campus community. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved an emergency authorization for a vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech. The Texas Department of State Health Services will be laying out […]
Dear SMU Community, We hope you had a safe and restful holiday and are recharged to finish the fall semester strong. As we prepare for winter break, planning for next semester is well underway. We learned a great deal over the past eight months about how to keep teaching, working, living and interacting on campus […]
A major challenge to stopping the spread of COVID-19 is a lack of information. You can help change that by participating in the DFW COVID-19 Prevalence Study. The results of this important study will be used to develop ways to reduce COVID-19 infections. SMU is partnering with UT Southwestern and Texas Health Resources on this […]
Friday, November 13, 2020 Dear SMU Students, As you get ready to leave campus for Thanksgiving, it’s important to recognize the potential risks associated with going home to family members who may be vulnerable to viral spread. Your best defense is to wear a face mask to reduce the chance of catching or spreading COVID-19, […]
November 2, 2020 Dear SMU Faculty and Staff, We are heading into the home stretch of a successful fall semester, thanks to you and your tremendous dedication and support. I am grateful for your continued commitment and resilience in the face of this pandemic. It was through research, planning and implementation of campuswide operational changes […]
Dear Students, I hope this message finds you well as we approach the last few weeks of the semester. Certainly, this has been a fall like no other, and I think we all have a new appreciation for academic experiences, time with friends, and sporting events on the Hilltop. Most of you have worked hard […]
October 22, 2020 Dear SMU Community,It is encouraging to see the stamina, resilience and determination of our Mustang community in handling the challenges of this pandemic. It is with that same diligence that we’ll tackle 2021. What we are doing this fall is working. After cases peaked in September, they fell and remain steady. Conducting […]
October 14, 2020 Dear SMU Community, Fall 2020 has been a semester like none other. After months of planning, preparation and adjustments, we are now halfway through this term. You’ve done a great job of working together to maintain a healthy environment, and it is reassuring to see the downward trend in COVID-19 cases on […]
October 8, 2020 Dear SMU Faculty and Staff, As we’ve settled into the semester and started to plan for our next one, it’s promising to see the numbers of COVID-19 cases on campus diminish. Thank you all for working tirelessly to make the fall semester as safe as it can be. We continue to respond to […]
Minimizing your chances of contracting influenza this year is one of the most important steps you can take to stay healthy and help prevent our community’s COVID-19 medical resources from becoming depleted. Students, getting your flu shots has never been more important. SMU is providing students with on-campus flu vaccinations for free while supplies last. […]
Since we began welcoming our students back in mid-August, we have learned a great deal about how to manage the campus through the pandemic. Some of our early expectations have changed based on experience; therefore, it is time to use the latest information to make adjustments in the metrics we use to provide the most […]
Dear SMU Community, Every week, our Emergency Operations Center group and the president’s leadership team review a number of data points regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SMU campus, then update the University’s operational level. This week, we are increasing the overall operational level from “moderate” to “high” to reflect the number […]
September 4, 2020 Dear SMU Student, With two weeks of the fall semester successfully behind us, I would want to recognize our SMU students, faculty and staff for your efforts to adapt to learning, living and working on campus during this pandemic. As we anticipated, we are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases as well […]
14 August 2020 Dear Mustang Parents and Family Members, Hello from the Hilltop! I hope this message finds you and your loved ones doing well. I imagine you are making final preparations for your student’s return to Dallas and SMU, and we are excited to welcome them back. As I have shared with you previously, […]
